Coupling construction and improved packing ring therefor

ABSTRACT

A coupling construction includes a coupling sleeve fitted over two pipe ends which are to be joined together and which includes a widened end portion at each end for accommodating a packing between the sleeve and a associated pipe and an intermediate portion which is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the pipe to be connected. The coupling joint is formed by a packing ring placed within the widened diameter sleeve portion and which is stressed and tightened by a ring member having a surface which bears against a concave surface of the packing ring when a threaded nut is tightened to the coupling sleeve and is displaced axially by the tightening. The packing ring includes an interior surface having an internal groove and includes a concave shoulder at each end on its exterior. One external concave shoulder presses against a convex interior portion of the coupling sleeve and the other shoulder on the opposite end is engaged by a ring member which is displaced axially during tightening. When the joint is fully tightened the packing ring is deformed so that the groove area is reduced to force out the air in the groove and to effect a tight engagement of the ring with the associated pipe.

United States Patent 151 3,659,883 Kojima 1451 May 2, 1972 [541 COUPLINGCONSTRUCTION AND FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS IMPROVED PACKING RING1,144,915 4/1957 France ..277/110 THEREFOR 162,221 8/1933 Switzerland..285/D1G. 1 1 [72] Inventor: Noriatsu Kojima, Yanagishima-cho 5 PrimaryExaminer Andrew V. Kundrat chome No. 31, Nakagawa-ku, Nagova, AtwmeyMcGlew & Toren Japan [22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1970 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.:88,695 A Coupling construction includes a coupling sleeve fitted overtwo pipe ends which are to be joined together and which includes awidened end portion at each end for accommodating [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data a packing between the sleeve and a associatedpipe and an intermediate portion which is of substantially the samediameter May 26, 1970 Japan ..45/45043 as the diameter of the pipe to beconnected The coupfing joint is formed by a packing ring placed withinthe widened [52] diameter sleeve ortion and which is stressed and tihtened by P g a rin member havin a surface which bears a ainst a concaveg g 8 Field 0 Search 1 l, urface of the packing ring when a threaded nutis tightened to 277/1 10 the coupling sleeve and is displaced axially bythe tightening.

The packing ring includes an interior surface having an inter- [56]References Cited nal groove and includes a concave shoulder at each endon its exterior. One external concave shoulder presses against a con-UNITED T T PATENTS vex interior portion of the coupling sleeve and theother shoulder on the opposite end is engaged by a ring member 2 if; 222g if 13 35 which is displaced axially during tightening. When the jointis e 6 a 285 1 10 fully tightened the packing ring is deformed so thatthe groove 2'61O'870 9/1952 Parmesan area is reduced to force out theair in the groove and to effect 3,045,830 7/1962 Fulton ....285/346 x atight engagement ofthe ring with the associated pipa 2,163,810 6/1939Raybould ....285/348 X 1,671,161 5/1928 Perks ..285/346 1 Claims, 2Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,883

1N VEN TOR Nae/A 7'50 KOJ/M4 ATTORNEYS COUPLING CONSTRUCTION ANDIMPROVED PACKING RING THEREFOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates in general to the construction of coupling joints and inparticular to a new and useful coupling joint and packing therefor, thepacking having an internal groove in a concave shoulder at each exteriorside which is tightly compressed inwardly during the tightening of thecoupling to cause a deformation of the groove and a displacement of theair therein.

The present invention is an improvement over the prior art inasmuch asit provides a coupling joint constructed to eliminate any leakage. Thisis accomplished in accordance with the invention by a ring packinghaving an internal groove therein which is deformed during thetightening of the coupling parts so as to form an air-tight seal inrespect to the associated parts. The ring is engaged from respectiveopposite ends at the respective side shoulders by a coupling sleeve andby a fastening nut and engagement ring. A central groove of the ring isflattened into tight sealing engagement with the associated pipe part tobe joined during the fastening by the tightening of the nut. Thisprovides a suction engagement of the packing ring which prevents thepacking from being disconnected after it is once fastened and it insuresthat the sealed conditions of the connecting joint are maintained.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedcoupling joint which includes a coupling sleeve adapted to fit over thetwo tubular elements to be joined together and which is widened at oneend to accommodate a packing ring therein over the pipe to be joined andwhich includes a coupling nut which is secured to the coupling sleeve ina manner to deform the packing ring so that an interior groove thereofistightly engaged with the associated pipe part to be joined.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packing ring for acoupling joint which includes an interior wall of the ring which isgrooved centrally and which includes an exterior wall having a concaveshoulder at each side for receiving the axially applied clamping forceof the couplingjoint.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling and a packingring which are simple in design, rugged in construction and economicalto manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial axial sectional view and a partial side elevationalview of a coupling joint constructed in accordance with the invention;and

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational and transverse sectional view of apacking ring constructed in accordance with the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to thedrawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises acoupling joint forjoining two tubular elements or pipes 12 and 12together in axially aligned relationship with the use of a couplingsleeve generally designated 1 which fits over the parts to overlap eachand to enclose the end of the tubular parts adjacent their abuttingedges 14.

In accordance with the invention, the connecting sleeve 1 is providedwith a widened or flanged end 3 which defines an interior space for theinsertion of a packing ring generally lit designated 9 at the interiorof the connecting sleeve and over one of the pipes 12 which are to bejoined. The interior of the coupling sleeve 1 has an internal diameter15 which is substantially the same as that of the exterior diameters ofthe pipes l2, l2 and a widened flange part 3 includes a convex-radiusshoulder 2 which abuts against a concave radial shoulder 10 of thepacking ring 9. A second concave radial shoulder 10 of the packing ring9 is engaged by a convex'outer end part 5 of a ring member 6. Thecoupling joint is tightened by the threading of a nut member 4 to causeinternal threads 8 thereof to engage with external threads 7 defined onthe coupling sleeve 1. During this threading and tightening of thecoupling joint the ring member 6 is displaced against the shoulder 10'to cause the opposite shoulder 10 to bear tightly against theconvex-radius shoulder 2 and further tightening of the nut member 4causes a deformation and flattening of an internal groove 11 which isdefined between the ends on the interior of the ring 9.

The pipe coupling or pipe joint has the feature that each end of thecoupling sleeve 1 is provided with the flange portion 3 and there is atight seal of the connecting joint through the ring 9 at each location.

Fastening of the nuts 4 causes a deformation of the packing ring 9 to anextent that the groove 11 becomes substantially adhesively secured tothe associated pipe 12 due to the moving out of the air in the space ofthe groove 11 to cause a suction gripping engagement action. When asubstantial portion of the air in the groove 11 is removed by thetightening action, there is a firm interengagement of the coupling partsand thus there is no possibility of leakage of fluid from either of thepipes 12 or 12'. In addition there is very little chance that eitherpipe 12 or 12 will become disconnected from the couplingjoint.

A further feature of the coupling joint is the ease with which thecoupling engagement may be effected merely by tightening the couplingnuts 4,4. The overall joint assembly is effected with a minimum of partsand the coupling may be effected easily and without time loss. Thepacking ring 9 is constructed such that upon the application of force inan axial direction through the tightening of the nut there is a radialtightening of the packing ring in respect to the associated pipe to beconnected. The radius of the ring member 6 at the location 5 and theconvex interior radius at the location 2 of the coupling sleeve 1 may besuch that the angle between the external and/or the internal peripheryand extension of the packing ring radius becomes 45.

What is claimed is:

l. A coupling joint construction for joining two tubular elements inaxially aligned relationship, comprises an elongated coupling sleevearranged to fit over the elements to be joined and said coupling sleevecomprises a flange at least at one end and a sleeve portion extendingaxially from said flange, said sleeve portion having an internaldiameter of substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter ofthe tubular elements to be joined, said flange projecting radiallyoutwardly from said sleeve portion and having an axially extendinglength of its interior surface spaced radially outwardly from theinterior surface of said sleeve portion and forming a cavity, the partof said flange extending from said sleeve portion forming a shoulderhaving a convex surface within the cavity formed by said flange, apacking ring positioned within the cavity and arranged to encircle oneof the tubular elements to be joined, said packing ring extending in theaxial direction of the coupling joint construction and having a radiallyinner surface and a radially outer surface, said packing ring having ashoulder with a concave surface at one end of its outer surface disposedin bearing contact with the shoulder formed in the cavity provided bysaid flange, said packing ring having another shoulder with a concavesurface at the other end of its outer surface, a coupling nut disposedin threaded engagement with the radially outer surface of said flange,said coupling nut having a radially inwardly extending flange forming atleast a partial closure over the end of the cavity formed sleeve, saidflange on said coupling nut forces said ring member against said packingring which, in turn, is forced against said shoulder on said flange ofsaid coupling sleeve and effects a radially inwardly directed forceflattening the groove in the inner surface of said packing ring wherebya suction action can be provided with the tubular part on which saidpacking ring is positioned.

I! I l l

1. A coupling joint construction for joining two tubular elements inaxially aligned relationship, comprises an elongated coupling sleevearranged to fit over the elements to be joined and said coupling sleevecomprises a flange at least at one end and a sleeve portion extendingaxially from said flange, said sleeve portion having an internaldiameter of substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter ofthe tubular elements to be joined, said flange projecting radiallyoutwardly from said sleeve portion and having an axially extendinglength of its interior surface spaced radially outwardly from theinterior surface of said sleeve portion and forming a cavity, the partof said flange extending from said sleeve portion forming a shoulderhaving a convex surface within the cavity formed by said flange, apacking ring positioned within the cavity and arranged to encircle oneof the tubular elements to be joined, said packing ring extending in theaxial direction of the coupling joint construction and having a radiallyinner surface and a radially outer surface, said packing ring having ashoulder with a concave surface at one end of its outer surface disposedin bearing contact with the shoulder formed in the cavity provided bysaid flange, said packing ring having another shoulder with a concavesurface at the other end of its outer surface, a coupling nut disposedin threaded engagement with the radially outer surface of said flange,said coupling nut having a radially inwardly extending flange forming atleast a partial closure over the end of the cavity formed by said flangeon said coupling sleeve, a ring member positioned within the cavityformed by said flange on said coupling sleeve and extending between saidflange on said coupling nut and said packing ring, said ring memberhaving a convex surface at one end in bearing contact with said anothershoulder on said packing ring, said packing ring having an annularlyextending groove formed in its inner surface and the groove being spacedfrom the edges of the inner surface, so that as said coupling nut isthreaded onto said flange of said coupling sleeve, said flange on saidcoupling nut forces said ring member against said packing ring which, inturn, is forced against said shoulder on said flange of said couplingsleeve and effects a radially inwardly directed force flattening thegroove in the inner surface of said packing ring whereby a suctionaction can be provided with the tubular part on which said packing ringis positioned.